In his day he … Read Full Bio ↴David Whitfield was a popular Tenor of the mid 1950s.
In his day he was fabulously popular and sang to capacity crowds. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan show several times with great aplomb. In the later 1950s his style of singing had to compete with the likes of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley ,and by the early 1960s had moved into musicals such as "The Desert Song" and "Rose Marie" and recorded classic albums such as "Alone" with his wonderful semi operatic style of singing.
In his day he sang a large range of songs and was sometimes likened to the great Mario Lanza. He just loved travelling, and visited Canada and especially Australia many times. His great hits were those he recorded with Mantovani, his favorite being "When You lose the one you love". Many of his songs were written for his voice alone with well known exceptions being "I Believe" (1953) and "That's When your Heartaches Begin" (1958).
He was and is the most popular British recording artist of the 1950s with a career extending into the 60s and 70s appearing on many quiz programs on Australian television as a special guest.
When You Lose the One You Love
David Whitfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you lose the one you love
How lonely life can be
With just a memory
For loving? years
Will only bring you tears
When you lose the one you love
Friends may smile at you and say
That time can heal your pain
You'll fall in love again
But in your heart you know
It never can be so
When you lose the one you love
There was someone in me
I was full of jealousy
Now we're apart
So will you save me my friend
A million tears will mend
A broken heart
Just close your eyes to jealousy
And if you love her so
Don't ever let her go
Because I know, my friend
Your happiness will end
When you lose the one you love
The lyrics of David Whitfield's song "When You Lose the One You Love" are deeply emotional and speak to the pain and heartbreak that come with losing a loved one. The opening lines set the tone for the entire song, as they describe the feeling of loneliness that can overwhelm a person after losing someone they deeply cared about. The accompanying music, played by the Mantovani Orchestra, is also incredibly fitting as it adds a sense of somberness to the lyrics.
The second verse speaks of the advice that friends often give in the aftermath of a breakup or loss, claiming that time can heal all wounds and that new love can be found. However, the singer reminds us that this is not always the case, and that the memory and love for the lost one will always bring pain and tears. The third verse takes a more personal turn as the singer reflects on his own jealousy and how it led to the breakdown of his relationship. He implores his friend to learn from his mistakes and hold onto the love he has, as he knows firsthand the heartbreak and loneliness that come with losing it.
The bridge and chorus of the song offer a poignant and bittersweet message. The bridge suggests that jealousy is a destructive emotion that can cause harm, and the singer implores his friend to "save" him by avoiding it. The chorus reinforces the message of the entire song, that once you lose someone you love, you can never fully recover from the heartbreak.
Overall, David Whitfield's "When You Lose the One You Love" is a touching and relatable song that speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and loss. The lyrics, paired with the Mantovani Orchestra's music, serve as a powerful reminder of the pain that comes with losing someone you deeply care about.
Line by Line Meaning
When you lose the one you love
Life becomes lonely and painful when you lose the person you love
How lonely life can be
The pain of losing a loved one causes extreme loneliness
With just a memory
The only thing left after losing someone is a memory of them
For loving? years
After spending years in love with someone
Will only bring you tears
Losing that loved one will result in tears and sadness
Friends may smile at you and say
Even friends will try to offer comfort and encourage you to move on
That time can heal your pain
They may tell you that time will heal your pain
You'll fall in love again
And that you will eventually find love again
But in your heart you know
But deep down you know
It never can be so
That it can never be the same again
There was someone in me
The singer reflects on how he was when he lost his loved one
I was full of jealousy
He admits that he was jealous at times
Now we're apart
The couple is no longer together
So will you save me my friend
The singer turns to a friend for help during this difficult time
A million tears will mend
He knows he will cry a lot but it will eventually get better
A broken heart
He describes his heart as broken and in need of healing
Just close your eyes to jealousy
He advises his friend to not let jealousy ruin his happiness
And if you love her so
If he truly loves his partner
Don't ever let her go
He should hold onto her and never let her go
Because I know, my friend
The singer gives this advice based on his own experience
Your happiness will end
If he loses the one he loves, he will lose his happiness too
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rob-Botics calisthenics home training
I will never forget when I saw David at the grand theatre in Leeds. I was about six and he made a lasting impression on my life. One of our greats. No doubt about it.
Michaelbos
Just GREAT. What a song, sung by this great voice.
likoni02
Haunting melody and the lyrics speak volumes. Beautiful.
Nick Riggio
Great song by a great singer
David White
Fabulous singer, fabulous orchestra, fabulous song, where did it all go
davyboy smith
Love both of these David Whitfield and Mantovani
Thomas Battcock
Thanks for the memories. David was a favourite of mine, my family and many of my friends. I would dearly love to hear "Can I forget you", also. I think "Angelus" was my fav. way back then, but all these years later, anything by David is super. Thank you for posting. Tom, Montreal, Canada.
blue45bj
This song reminds me of my childhood. Thanks for the posting.
Pat Moore
His voice is as beautiful as Mario Lanza, in my humble opinion.
TheGrowler55
My Mum's favourite Song, RIP Mum. ๐